17 New Year's Resolutions for Busy Moms

The best part: They're totally doable.

By
Charlotte Hilton Andersen

Dec 29, 2016

These are totally doable. Promise.

1 of 17

Organize the Toy Room

The toy room is the bane of every mom's existence because let's be honest, when the toys aren't neatly put away then every room becomes the toy room and before you know it you're living in Legoland and lunching in the Barbie mansion. (Which actually doesn't sound so bad…)

For everyone's sanity, toys need their own space and you need that space to be organized. Find adorable, opaque furniture that doubles as storage, like this clever ottoman to help you out — or at least give everything it's own space with see-through bins that organize toys by type and age.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

2 of 17

Make Healthy School Lunches

This year, you're not going to be the mom whose kids show up in the cafeteria with a smashed granola bar, a packet of goldfish, and a tampon they grabbed out of your bag thinking it was a candy (oh, that's happened). Brainstorm with your kids what they would love (or are at least willing) to eat for lunch, then create a lunch list broken down by food category, including fruits and veggies, protein, whole grains, and desserts. That way, your kid can make their own lunch by simply picking one item from each category.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

3 of 17

Spend More Time With Your Kids

This is probably the number one resolution every mom makes every year. You adore your kids. You love hearing their thoughts. Your heart breaks when you're not there to put them to bed. You know how incredibly important — and fleeting — this time is. So why is forcing yourself to spend time with them so hard? (Because, let's be honest, it is.) Two answers: a lack of time and boredom. Fortunately, kids are easy to please, especially when it comes to attention. So even on days you're too exhausted to read the third bedtime story or play a full game of Monopoly, you can definitely make time for something.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

4 of 17

Have Family Dinners

Family meal time is one of the best things you can do for your kids' social, mental, and physical well-being. But unless your family enjoys sitting around an empty table that means you've got to up your dinner game. Try throwing something in the slow cooker in the morning and — BAM — you'll have dinner ready at night.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

5 of 17

Be More Involved With School

Where's that permission slip? Did you sign the report cards? And why are there six overdue library notices? Schools send home reams of paper for parents to look at, sign, and send back. It's basically homework for adults, and if you screw it up, your kid suffers. Try setting a basket on a countertop for kids to place all incoming papers, with file folders for longer-term items and a pin board to keep things visible.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

6 of 17

Conquer the Laundry Pile

Anyone who says infinity is incomprehensible hasn't seen the never-ending influx of laundry that children create. Try to reduce the amount of clothes you buy for your kids — or, hey, teach your kids how to do their own laundry as soon as they can.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

7 of 17

Control Electronics Use

No one seems to agree what the right amount of time is for kids to spend on the TV, iPad, computer, or smartphone but, chances are you, you feel like whatever they're doing is too much. Build in some limits by making your kids complete a certain number of tasks, like reading a book or playing outside, before they're allowed on the iPad. Or maybe, build in something like… family fun time! Pick a night every week to be together.

Tired of being chronically late to everything? You need a master schedule. If it's not on the family schedule, it doesn't exist — period. You could just rely on your phone calendar, but then you have to deal with everyone asking you for their schedule five times a day. Save yourself the headache by hanging a calendar where everyone can see it. It doesn't get much simpler than a large whiteboard with a grid drawn on it. Easy to add to, change, and read.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

10 of 17

Get 8 Hours of Sleep a Night

Experts say that the key to getting a good night's sleep is to get the whole family on a regular bedtime routine. "Easier said than done," said every parent of a toddler, ever. Kids know they need to sleep, but they'll fight it even when they're exhausted. You'll all sleep better if you make bedtime into a routine the family does together. Try some of these tips so you can actually fall asleep once and for all.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

11 of 17

Set a Budget

Family finances are a tricky subject. When things are going fine and everyone's on the same page, they're a non-issue. But when things get tight or you have a teen with a Hollister addiction, money can cause the biggest fights. Get an app, like You Need a Budget, that everyone in the family can look at and see which categories are maxed out until the next paycheck and which still have money left.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

12 of 17

Prioritize Your Relationship

Your husband — you remember him, right? He's the one who helped you make these kids, and yet he's often the one who ends up with the least attention. But experts say that one of the best things you can do to strengthen your relationship is to have regular date nights.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

13 of 17

Spend More Time With Friends

Life is short — too short to miss good times with your girlfriends. But with kids, husbands, and busy schedules, your ladies are likely fall to the bottom of the priority list (even though they're the ones who keep you sane enough to take care of all that other stuff!). Have a girls' night in — or call the sitter and make it a girls' night out. (Or just have your husband take over 'babysitting' duty.)

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

14 of 17

Stop Yelling So Much

No one wants to be that mom, the one who yells at her kids in the grocery store or berates them at bedtime or loses it in the school line. And so you resolve to stop yelling for good. Yet it can be so hard to get kids to listen without raising your voice. Come up with something to do instead of raising your voice, like asking your kids why they're behaving in whatever way is driving you crazy.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

15 of 17

Fit In a Workout

This is the year you shed the baby weight, eat a clean diet, and get super fit! Or, maybe this is the year you decide to work out a few times a week. But with kids, it's not as simple as hitting the gym for your favorite class. Try finding a gym that offers childcare — or squeeze in a quickie workout at home when you have a few free minutes. You don't need that much time each day for your abs!

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

16 of 17

Tell Your Kids You Love Them

Your kids know you love them, right? You cook their meals, make their beds, help them with their homework, and drive them everywhere, and if that doesn't say "I love you," what does? But when it comes to kids, nothing replaces those three words — and kids need to hear them every day. Speak up! Make it the first thing you say to them in the morning. Set a reminder on your phone if you need to.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

17 of 17

Make Sure Everyone Brushes Their Teeth, Always

There's nothing like getting the stink eye and a lecture from the dentist when you take your kids in for their cleanings. You tell them to brush their teeth. You brush your own teeth. Why isn't this working? Because, kids, duh. Try creating a reward chart — more brushing, more rewards.

A Part of Hearst Digital Media
Woman's Day participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.